Paul Taaffe, Global Chairman and CEO of WPP agency Hill & Knowlton has been appointed Jury President of the PR Lions category at Cannes Lions 2010, the agency announced today. Cannes is generally regarded as the largest marketing and advertising awards festival in the world. “Last year PR agencies were newbies, and so two thirds of PR Lions submissions worldwide were from advertising agencies. This year the global PR industry has no excuse,” said Taaffe in a statement.

Hill & Knowlton is working with Cannes to appeal to a broader marketing audience, including PR agencies. Some have even said the festival should consider changing its name to appeal to this audience.

Tony Burgess-Webb, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President at Hill & Knowlton told PRNewser, “I certainly think they should,” when asked in October if the festival will drop the word advertising from its title to appeal to a broader audience. Cannes Lions CEO Philip Thomas denied a name change is being considered.